Friday, November 22, 2013

The disciple prostrated reverently before his guru in
the ashram. Three years back he had come seeking spiritual knowledge. After
severe regimen of learning and penance he felt his tutelage had come to an end.

“Swamiji, I
think my learning is complete and wish to embark on my journey in search of god
on my own”

“So, you think
you know it all and are confident?”

“Yes, Swamiji. Thanks to you I have the knowledge to
realize the Ultimate”

Saturday, November 16, 2013

The train slowly departed from the noisy junction. It was past
10pm.The compartment was not crowded. The passengers were getting ready to
sleep. Some lights had been switched off already. Three young men who looked
ruffians and who had possibly boarded the train at the junction walked through
the aisle looking presumably for vacant seats. They were in tight black T shit,
red scarf around their necks tattoos in their forearms and metal bracelets on
their wrists. In one of the bays, they found a young woman in her early
thirties lying on the berth with her body except the face fully covered by a
bed sheet. There were two passengers sitting on the berth opposite to her. The
ruffians saw her and stopped there.

“Go to another bay. We intend to sit here. Do you
understand?” addressed one of them at the two passengers.

“We have been occupying these reserved seats from the
originating station. It is ours” murmured feebly one of the passengers. While
one ruffian pulled out a pen knife, another held his hand. There was a hard
slap from the third ruffian at the passenger who demurred. He was lifted by his
collar and pushed out of the bay. The other passenger stood up trembling in
fear.”Get out fast if you wish to remain unhurt” bellowed one of the evil men.
That passenger too collected his things and scampered fast to another part of
the train. The few passengers on the side seats and from upper berths were
shocked at the rude and violent behavior of the ruffians but had not the
temerity to question them. Some of them pretended to be asleep while many
others kept silent.

Emboldened the three bad guys sat on the berth before the
woman and started talking among themselves while one of them lit a cigarette.
They were all the time eyeing at the woman making small talk among them and
passing lewd comments obliquely at the figure opposite to them. She seemed to
ignore them completely and appeared sleeping as her eyes were closed. One of
them lifted a bag and making it look accidentally rubbed her with the bag.
Startled she opened her eyes and looked angrily at them.

“Sorry, madam, the bag came into contact by accident. I think
I have woken you up from your sleep.”

She did not reply. Irked by her silence, he said “You seem to
be upset. It was not deliberate. Anyway how far are you going?”

She stared at him still in anger but chose not to answer. The
guy was determined to provoke her and said “You look more beautiful when you
are angry. Sit down, we can while away time chatting. I am feeling bored” The
other two companions laughed loudly.

When she adjusted her bed sheet to cover herself fully, the
hooligan stood up and shook her shoulders to ask “Are you deaf-mute? I have
been talking to you and you are indifferent”

“I warn you and that too only once. Do not mess with me. You
will get hurt” she spoke softly but firmly.

There were muted giggles accompanied with apprehension of
what is likely to follow from the other passengers. This infuriated the guy
much. He said to her “Look here, you common slut, it is you who are going to
get hurt when the train stops at the next station. Mind what and how you talk
to us” and tried to lift her into sitting position by clasping her shoulders.

It was then her leg hit hard his head like a sledge hammer
and the man fell down on the floor and lay unconscious. One of the other two hooligans
rushed towards her only to be dealt with a similar blow with her leg around his
shoulder and neck region. This man too crumpled down on the floor. Dazed at the
sudden onslaught from what he considered a frail woman, the third hoodlum was
cautious in approaching her. She was still lying on the berth and beckoned him
to come closer if he had the guts. He looked around at the amused faces of
other passengers and his ego would not permit him to retreat leaving his
companions on the floor.

In a fit of bravado he approached her pulling out a pen knife
and screaming with his hand raised “You bitch, you will pay dearly for this defiance”
In a quick movement of legs she hit his hand that held the knife with one leg
and the other leg whacked his back. The onlookers heard a slight cracking noise
as the man folded up in acute pain and fell down with no attempt to get up.

The other passengers rose from their seats and tied the hands
and legs of the three wicked men tightly with clothes and ropes that they could
lay their hands on. A few dared to box their faces and slap them too when they
were immobile. Someone went in search of a policeman and attendant

One old person asked her”Are you trained in any martial art?
How bravely you immobilized them with your deft and quick attack when all of us
men were frozen in fear? Do you belong to police?”

“No uncle. I am an ordinary woman and handicapped too. Look
here” she said and lifted her sari to reveal two Jaipur legs made of wood
attached to the stumps of her legs with metal and leather.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

The
only problem with Bhaskar is his inferiority complex. A highly qualified and
well employed guy, he had everything a young man would wish for. He had an
exceedingly charming wife, a nice apartment in relatively posh area and a
couple of good cars. Tall and with good physique, he would have passed off as a
handsome guy but for his big beak like curved nose that stood out prominent in the
otherwise good features like a well aligned teeth, twinkling eyes, broad
forehead and curly hair .The nose acted as a blot attracting unwelcome
attention. Since his young age, he had the habit of covering his nose on some
pretext with his palm or averting others gaze by turning his face sideward.

Bhanu
his wife who worked in a foreign bank was bubbly and extrovert by nature. She
had many friends and fond of social gatherings and parties. She would insist
that Bhaskar accompany her but he mostly found some excuse to stay away. On a
few occasions he had gone, she would be swarmed by both men and womenfolk
attracted by her intelligent conversation, genial nature and witty banter. She
would invariably introduce Bhaskar to one and all. There would be an
uncomfortable silence for a short while before the noisy conversations resumed.
Bhaskar hardly missed the amused look on their faces and Bhanu’s feeble attempt
to suppress her embarrassment. Some of them would continue talking to him in an
affable manner but most would slowly move away.

One
night when they were watching TV lying in the bed, Bhanu said”Bhaskar, if you
promise not to mistake me, I wish to tell you about the conversation I had with
Kausalya this afternoon.”

“Why
this prelude? Spill it out” he replied

“I
don’t care what others think but I love you from the bottom of my heart. You
are a blessing and gift to me” she said.

“You
were talking about Kausalya. What is this then?”

“Okay,
she was telling me about her cousin’s husband who had got his nose rearranged
like the Tamil actress. It seems the deformity has gone and he looks totally
different and looking very much better”

“Oh,
you consider this as deformity. I never knew that you harboured such a feeling.
For your information I had already checked with some top cosmetologists and ENT
specialists. I was advised to leave it as it is as the outcome of surgery may
not always be satisfactory especially in my case. I thought you never minded it
as you had seen me before agreeing to marry me. This seems to bother you now,
is it?”

“Oh my
god!! That is why I asked you beforehand to promise me. I should not have
spoken on the subject. Your nose does not bother me. I like you for what you
are but thought if there is a way to make it straight why miss it. I will not
talk on this subject anymore again.”

“You
have said what all you wanted to teil.I know I am an embarrassment to you in
your circle.. That is precisely why I avoided coming with you. If you so wish,
you can find a better looking man for you. I will not stand in your way” he spoke
in anger and stomped out of the room. He did not return but slept on the couch
in the living room with the TV on. She came down after sometime, pleaded with
him for forgiving her and finally took him with her.

Ever
since his complex made him see unintended messages in her every action, he
became quieter and kept farther than usual. She attended less parties and was
closeted before TV. The usual gaiety was missing in the house. It was a stultifying
and humdrum life.

One
Sunday after lunch, she sauntered across the hall to the French window and was
seen watching outside intently with her eyes wide open.Bhaskar curious went
behind her and saw a green parrot sitting on the branch of a tree and pecking
at something. She turned to him and asked innocently “Isn’t it beautiful?”

His
face became red thinking she was taunting him and left the house without replying.
He was seething in anger thinking that she disliked him and possibly her heart had
turned towards someone else. He could see these days she had become cold
towards him and rarely talked unaware that he was the one who had distanced
himself from her He started suspecting and began to eavesdrop her phone conversations.
When she was not around, he saw the calls she had received and made. He even
stalked her couple of times.

It was
then he saw an advertisement in a magazine. It read ‘Learn Hypnotism in 15 days. You can unravel the inner thoughts of the person
you love. You can hear firsthand what is in her/his mind. You can use it to
influence too the way you want.’

Bhaskar
knew this is harmless but sure way of finding out the truth without involving outsiders.
The man who was to teach cautioned him that hypnotism worked best where the
subject has trust and confidence and not in hostile situations. Bhaskar joined
the class. He changed himself to appear loving. He cajoled her to return to her
happy mood, took her out to films, had dinners at restaurants, and showed his
affection in many other ways. Things became normal and happiness seemed to
return.

After a
month one Sunday afternoon, Bhaskar said in a jocular tone “I am going to hypnotize
you for fun. Are you ready to subject yourself?”

“Why not?
I never knew you are a hypnotizer. Where did you learn? What should I do? Why
don’t you ask questions directly?” she asked

“No, I
will induce to sleep and ask questions that you would respond from your
subconscious mind. Are you willing? I learnt it long back”

“Yes, I
have nothing to hide from you”

“Okay,
lie down and relax all your limbs and body.Look at my eyes as I count one to ten. By then
you will fall into slumber, deep slumber, sleep and deep sleep. I will ask
questions thereafter”

“Hmm”

“1…2…3….4…5…6…7…8…9…10…11…12….13…14…15”

“Bhanu,
Bhanu do you hear me? You are asleep but subconscious is awake. Answer me,
Bhanu”

There were
some unintelligible guttural sounds.

“Bhanu,
do you hear me?”

“Yes”
she said in feeble voice

“Good,
can you hear clearly what I say?”

“Yes”

“Tell me,
do you love anyone?”

“Yes, I
love a handsome man”

Shocked
Bhaskar asked “How long have you been loving him?”

“For
last three years”

“Does
his company make you happy?”

“Very much,
he keeps me very happy”

“Can
you describe him?”

“Tall,
strong, muscular and handsome”

“Any
distinguishing mark about him?”

“Nothing”

“What
is his name?”

“You
can call him,Surya, Aditya, Ravi,”

Shocked
again “Tell me what his particular name is?”

“Bhaskar,
my husband”, she said and suddenly sat up on the couch and asked in a bewildered tone “Hey, why am I lying here on the couch. What are you doing? Did I sleep off or what?”

He
smiled happily and hugged her showering kisses.”You were under hypnosis for a
short while” he said

“Did I
blabber anything?”

“Nothing
except professing your deep love for me”

She
jumped and embraced him without telling him that she was feigning all the while
and that she never was lulled into sleep and that whoever taught him hypnotism
was a fake.